Outline

Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics, including visual and anatomic outcomes, of patients that required pars plana vitrectomy following primary closure, admitted in a national reference ocular trauma center.

Materials & Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of clinical records of patients admitted to the Ocular Trauma Unit (OTU) that required a pars plana vitrectomy to solve vitreous-retinal complications of open and closed ocular trauma, from January 2005 to May 2007. Information extracted included: demography, clinical characteristics, use of encircling scleral buckle, BETT and OTS classification, indication and timing of vitrectomy.

Results: We obtained complete records of 311 patients, average age 36.6 yo, with 7:1 men:women ratio. 40% were closed ocular trauma. In total group 34% of patients submitted to vitrectomy improved their visual acuity (VA), 51% maintained and 15% decreased VA after surgery. Closed ocular trauma had better visual outcome than open trauma. Encircling scleral buckle was used in 19% of patients. 29% of total group had post-op complications including: re-detachment (most frequent), epiretinal membranes, glaucoma, keratopathy, etc. 45% of complicated patients required second o more vitrectomies.

Conclusions: Our results are similar to previous reports, and demonstrate that it is possible to reach good VA results even in complex ocular trauma. Post-op vitrectomy VA results are better in closed ocular trauma. The use of encircling scleral buckle does not influence VA outcome despite had been used in more severe cases.